Mystery crab?

[cpbirds407]

I just found a crab in my 75 reef. I was wondering if you could help me figure out what it is. I cant get a good picture of it. It looks like a freshwater fiddler crab. It's body is black but its legs are hairy. Any help would be great. I will keep trying to get a picture of it.

 

[maxalmon]

Sounds like a Teddy Bear crab. I'm not really fond of crabs in my tanks, I'd get rid of him or move him to the sump.

 

[tinmanny]

looks like a teady bear and acording to this sight it is reef safe also he is a very expensive crab so good luck with him when he is in the water he looks loke a gorilla I think he is cool
Good Luck
Manny

 

[cpbirds407]

Originally Posted by tinmanny
looks like a teady bear and acording to this sight it is reef safe also he is a very expensive crab so good luck with him when he is in the water he looks loke a gorilla I think he is cool
Good Luck
Manny

It looks very different from this crab in the pic. He is pitch black. any help would be appreciated.

 

[tangwhispr]

Gorilla Crab

Stone Crab

Both are bad!

 

[peef]

Does it look like this guy?
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b4...03/badcrab.jpg

 

[renogaw]

Originally Posted by peef
Does it look like this guy?
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b4...03/badcrab.jpg

while bad, that crab looks cool

 

[peef]

I know, I like the look ALOT of most terrible for your tank crabs.

 

[cpbirds407]

its kinda like that bet the legs are hairy and a solid grayish color.

 

[tinmanny]

sorry It looks brown in your picture
here is a non scientific methood that I read on this sight a long time ago if it has claws it is bad and if it has mits it is good but it is very vague do you have any pictures of him in the water I would look him up in some pictures of not so nice crabs that I have collected over the years
Good Luck
Manny

 

[40 galons]

yea this crab is pretty mean. the same thing i have. itll eat corals, snails, this one here tried to kill my fighting conch a couple of weeks ago. i have him in the refugium as of now , but ill have to get him out because hes a terror on anything i put in there

 

[cpbirds407]

Ok. up to now, non of the pics that you guys have posted look like the one I have. Im really thankful for your help on this matter. But I still don't know what the heck this crab is. It sounds to me like its bad.....well HOW CAN I TRAP HIM??? If he hides all day and I can't even get a picture because he's so skiddish, How im I able to catch him without tearing up my tank appart??! I really don't wanna do that! My tank its sooo overcrowded with corals and rock that it would take me two day7s to take everything out and two days to put everything back in!!! AND that's not counting the time in finding this CRAB! LOL
Any help would be appreciate it!
Thanks guys!

 

[ilovesharks]

teddy bear crab brownish color and hairy i'd take the little guy for my tank or give it to my friend who loves crabs

 

[gillyweed]

The pictures in this thread are not the crab the OP is speaking of folks

As far as what you have: If the claws are pointed/sharp it is likely a hunter=bad. If they are rounded it is likely a scavenger/algae eater probably not bad. The first will most likely kill things in your tank; so remove it quickly. the second may or may not; you can watch it closely if you like and see what it does.
As with all crabs though: When in doubt; take it out...

 

[kanicky]

We had a crab hitchiker that we wanted out of the tank, so we watched the tank until we finally caught sight of him, made note of which rock he was on, and then lifted the rock out and down into a bowl of RO water. The crab came tumbling out and voila! It was done.
Hopefully you will be able to do this with yours...

 

[emm0909]

isn't the general rule - If it's hairy, it's not good?

 

[tkcaptiva]

what is the crab in message 7, that's my boy

 

[mscarpena]

Wait until night time and kill him. They come out at night and use a flashlight to find the stops he likes to hide. Then you will know where he is normally at. Then just take the outer edge of the flashlight's beam of light so it is not too bright and you will not scare him. Take a pair of wire cutters or heavy duty tweexers and crush him. I kill every crab I see unless I am 100% positive it's reef safe and incase you cant't tell I've done this before. My rule is anything that has big meat ripping claws and hairy legs are bad and it dies at all costs.

 

[cpbirds407]

LOL. Thats too funny! He still there and it hasn't bothered anyone. However, there are a couple of fish that have disapeared. I'm wondering if he's the cause!!!!!! Errrr....